Murder on the Home Front by Molly Lefebure

"Mortuaries, prying into the secrets of thousands, literally thousands, of bodies, each with a tale to tell. There are people who say corpses don't talk, but indeed they do."

This is not something which I would have typically considered for a summer-read but I was really glad to have picked it up because it was absolutely fascinating. The story follows a young journalist named Molly Lefebure who becomes secretary to Professor Keith Simpson, the Home Office Pathologist.

The chapters within the book are all different cases which means that all of the stories are relatively easy to comprehend and it is perfect for someone who wants to be able to read a little at a time. Also, the fact that it is arranged in this way allows Miss Lefebure to showcase a variety of cases, ranging from the bizarre to the thrilling. 

Something which was really nice about this book was also the addition of some pictures. Normally I am not a fan of pictures when I am reading but I found these particularly helpful because they related to certain cases, showing murder weapons and the murderers. The sweetest image enclosed had to be that of a signed picture of the public executioner which read "To Molly, Yours Sincerely Albert Pierrepoint" and helped to demonstrate the close relationships which were built and the acceptance that Miss Lefebure felt in a generally male industry.

Molly Lefebure - the author

The author, Molly Lefebure, had a lovely way of presenting the cases and it was evident that she was genuinely interested in her work which made the book so interesting. She worked for Professor Keith Simpson for just under 5 years and was affectionately known as 'Molly of the Morgue'; the relationships between Miss Lefebure and the police and the morgue workers really come to light through her writing and she sometimes even describes the characters of the policemen as much as the actual murder case! Through the novel I became quite fond of Miss Lefebure and admiring of her tenacity, especially when she was being told that it was unproper for a woman to work in a morgue, and as such I was particularly sad to read that she recently passed away at the age of 93.


This is a very different style of novel and something which I feel will appeal to many different people because of its quintessential Britishness and ability to convey the truth without too many frills and fancies. Recently some of these cases were turned into a tv drama in the UK; however I do not feel that the drama was anywhere near as good as the book therefore I would urge people who are looking for something a little different to read, to try this Lefebure book.

If you have read this or seen the tv drama then please let me know in the comments below what you thought :)

...x

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen by Paul Torday

"I have noticed in this country that although there is violence and aggression - your football hooligans, for instance - there is one group for whom patience and tolerance are the only virtues. I speak of salmon fishermen."

After having seen the recent film staring Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt I was keen to read the actual 'Salmon Fishing in the Yemen' book. Despite knowing the storyline I thought that it would still be a good read however it was inevitable that I would compare it to the film throughout.

The format of the novel was different from anything that I had read previously in that it comprised solely of documents, interviews, emails and diary entries. As a general rule, I am not a huge fan of novels which are not written in a conventional form but this was easy to follow and the emails in particular helped to gauge the relationship between Fred and Mary. Therefore, although I am not completely converted to this style of novel, I understand why the author chose to write in such a way.

Moreover, due to the nature of the novel there were not a vast number of characters which was something that I found particularly interesting because it allows the reader to engage with the personality of each character. The three main characters within the story are:

*Fred Jones - The fisheries expert who becomes engrossed in meticulously planning the logistics of salmon fishing within the Yemen.

*Harriet Chatwode-Talbot - The financial expert who becomes as invested in the project as Fred and the Sheik.

*Sheik Muhammed - The 'visionary' who wants to take the pastime of salmon fishing to the Yemen in order to bring peace to the otherwise troubled country.

Paul Torday - the author

Although the main plot is driven by introducing salmon into the Yemen there are many other issues raised which were of paramount importance to the overall effect of the novel. I think that for me, these issues were of more significance than the actual fishing part because they were expansive issues which will always be relevant.

Relationships are something which the novel serves to highlight both through Fred and his wife, Mary, and Harriet and her fiancé, Robert. Mary is highly career driven and decides to move to Geneva leaving Fred and her marriage behind whilst Robert goes missing in action in Afghanistan. Both of these relationships provide a basis for thought and through their contrasting nature, in my opinion, they are somehow more poignant. 

Another major issue within the novel is that of faith and belief: the Sheik has complete belief in the project and eventually so to do Fred and Harriet. This shows how narrow minded we are when it comes to faith in our modern societies, we automatically think of conventional religions when we hear the words faith of belief when in fact they need not necessarily be related to religion at all.It also led me to think of how cynical we are in the Western world; we tend not to believe things until they are proved to us or are tangible but really isn't childlike optimism and belief better?

The poster for the film adaptation

I know that many people who had read the book before watching the film did not like the adaptation, not least because the endings are different. This led to a surprise for me at the end of the novel and I am still undecided as to which I prefer - the fairytale ending or the more realistic one.

Overall, despite enjoying the book I think that I preferred the film but maybe this is merely because it was how the story was first presented to me. Furthermore, although I very much like the premise of the story and the issues it raises, nevertheless I don't think that I would recommend this novel to everyone because it requires a certain amount of persistence in reading some of the documents which detail the technicalities of salmon.

Please let me know in the comments whether you have read the book or seen the film and what your views were. What did you think of the ending?

...x 

Killer Heels by Rebecca Chance

"She was a perfect size zero. After all this effort, all the extreme dieting and the exercise and the ironclad self-denial, here she was, standing in her perfect designer apartment, in her perfect designer dress, the perfect designer size. This was it. Coco Raeburn was finally perfect."

I was slightly reticent to read this novel and I'm not entirely sure why, it was entirely as advertised - a cross between The Devil Wears Prada and 50 Shades of Grey. The storyline follows an aspiring fashion editor, Coco, in her job at Style magazine working under the enviable Victoria Glossop and cleverly changes between then and now seamlessly allowing the reader to fully engage in the plot.

Coco Raeburn originally enters the fashion world as a UK size 14 girl called Jodie but upon being hired for the magazine is told to change her name (choosing Coco in hommage to Coco Chanel) and become a US size 0. The story follows her rise in the fashion world and decline in weight which ultimately gives her power but not necessarily happiness. I truly liked the character because she had an honest, well grounded sense about her which, despite the ludicrous name, gave her an air of normality in an exclusive world.

Victoria Glossop is another fundamental character within the novel and is renowned as the cut-throat editor of Style UK who wants to head Style USA. She is Coco's boss and has particularly high standards which makes her more than a little difficult to work for, but somehow Coco manages. Apart from merely being depicted as a she-dragon, however, we are able to see a human side to Victoria through her marriage to Jeremy and the subsequent lesbian affair with a model named Lyyke that ensues. This was an unexpected twist in the novel which rather that just being there for the shock-factor, appeared to showcase a real dilemma in Victoria's life which she was powerless to control.

Rebecca Chance - the author

The final character whom I wish to discuss is Jacob Dupleix, a very wealthy businessman and owner of Style. It is no secret that Jacob likes sleeping with younger girls and therefore it is not a surprise that he takes special interest in Coco, leading her eventually into his S&M lifestyle which is so popular in the wake of 50 Shades of Grey. I immediately took a dislike to Jacob, finding him a little creepy and not good enough for Coco, especially when he encourages her to keep losing weight in  order to make her 'beautiful'.

Unlike so many of these types of novels, I found that the ending of Killer Heels was particularly satisfying giving both an unexpected twist and a 'some time later' section.

There were several reasons why I would recommend this novel to a friend but it is primarily because I liked the interaction between characters, genuinely investing in how their storyline developed. Also, I thought that the whole novel was very cleverly structured, effortlessly moving between past and present and clearly showing the differences between London and Manhattan. So, if you are looking for a quick novel to read this summer which is reminiscent of The Devil Wears Prada and 50 Shades of Grey then I suggest that you look no further.

If you have read this, or any other, Rebecca Chance novel please let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

...x

The Beach Café by Lucy Diamond

"You might not ever read this letter - maybe life will take some unexpected twists and turns for us both, and my words will become meaningless. But I'd like to state, here and now, that in the event of my untimely death, I am leaving you the café in my will". 

This looked like the perfect holiday read to me and so when the sun came out, I duly read it. 

The story follows Evie who has followed her heart but is yet to really make anything of her life and is now trapped with sensible Matthew as a boyfriend as well as a job which she hates. Everything changes for her though when her Aunt Jo dies suddenly, leaving her favourite niece, Evie, the beach café in her will. The café was Jo's pride and joy, situated in a little village in Cornwall, directly on the seafront and now it is up to Evie to keep the café going.

Having the café puts a strain on Evie's relationship with Matthew who feels that running and owning a café is not a steady enough job. He urges her to sell it and to return to Oxford in order to begin a teaching degree but all Evie really wants is to run the café and continue its success. I immediately took a dislike to Matthew with his rules because he appeared to be stifling Evie's free soul and stopping her from really living her life.

Lucy Diamond - the author

All is not plain sailing for Evie though in Cornwall and as can be expected she encounters some problems along the way. She hires a mysterious chef called Ed and takes on Phoebe who has run away from home as well as trying to establish herself and the café as the heart of the community.

Lucy Diamond, the author, is no stranger to writing popular women's novels and has recently released a new novel, 'Me and Mr Jones'. After thoroughly enjoying this Diamond novel, I may look for some of her other novels to read in my free time.

This was a really good read with a feel-good factor which had me smiling and in a summery mood until the last page. If you are a fan of romantic novels and are looking for something light to read then I would definitely recommend 'The Beach Café'!

Please leave your comments below and let me know if there are any other good summer novels which you recommend.

...x

On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan

"For over a year, Edward had been mesmerised by the prospect that on the evening of a given date in July the most sensitive portion of himself would reside, however briefly, within a naturally formed cavity inside this cheerful, pretty, formidably intelligent woman."

The premise of this novel is fairly simple - it follows two people in 1962 on their wedding night which is being spent on Chesil Beach. Although this does not sound particularly riveting, things do not go completely smoothly for the characters which causes intrigue into their motivations.

Florence is a concert violinist and part of an affluent Oxford family whilst Edward is a history enthusiast and from a middle class family. Whilst Florence is somewhat detached from her family, we see Edward as being closer to his family with his father being a headteacher and his mother being brain-damaged.

Ian McEwan - the author

Like other McEwan novels we are able to understand more about the characters through flashbacks, allowing us to see their motivations. This means that much more emphasis is placed on their characters than the actual wedding night with us being able to see their lives before marriage. For Florence this means her career as principal violinist in a quartet with aspirations to play at Wigmore Hall and for Edward this means his family life and enthusiasm for history.

For me the most interesting theme within the novel was that of convention versus individuality. This is seen through the revulsion of Florence to perform her marital duty despite knowing that this is what is expected of her. She is repulsed by the notion of sex but does not tell Edward this because she believes that these feelings undermine her as a woman; however her withholding of information ultimately does more harm than good. This plot only works due to the fact that the story is set in 1962 because at this time people were less likely to engage in sex before marriage and even less likely to discuss sex; therefore Florence feels isolated and the pressure of societal conventions as being upon her.

Until researching McEwan's motivation for the novel I was unaware of the controversy which surrounded it. Apparently McEwan took some stones from Chesil Beach in order to use them as inspiration; however this incurred the wrath of the local people who threatened a £2,000 fine if they were not returned due to the protected nature of the area.

I was not too enamoured with this novel and probably would not recommend it to a friend, despite being able to see its technical merits. I think that the reason for this is because I am not a huge fan of short stories, often finding them too short to have a fully rounded story which captures my imagination. However, what drew me initially to the novel was not its premise but its location because I live close to Chesil Beach and for that reason alone it was of some interest to me.

Please let me know in the comments what you think of this McEwan novel and whether it is just me who isn't a great fan of the 'short story'.

...x

The Perks of being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

"I just need to know that someone out there listens and understands. I need to know that these people exist."

This novel has been talked about so much since the recent release of the movie and so I decided to read it. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy the book as much as the movie; however, it was still a good, quick read which I would recommend.

The whole story is narrated by Charlie, a 15 year old boy who has suffered from schizophrenia and the novel takes the form of a collection of his letters which he has written to an anonymous friend. Charlie feels that no-one in his family understands him and his best friend, Michael, has just shot himself; therefore it is no surprise that he feels isolated at the prospect of starting high school. Throughout the novel though, Charlie manages to experience new things such as trying drugs and alcohol as well as having a girlfriend and performing in the Rocky Horror Show.

The two people who really help Charlie come out of his shell are Sam and Patrick. Sam is the girl who Charlie first kisses and who introduces him to the idea of feeling infinite (she stands at the back of the truck with music playing whilst someone drives through the tunnel), opening him up to a world which is very different from his previous one. Patrick also aids Charlie's transformation and despite being called 'Nothing' by the majority of the school, shows Charlie that happiness is obtainable and that everyone deserves to be accepted (as is shown through his secret gay relationship with Brad).

The Perks of being a Wallflower - film cast

One of the great features of Charlie's letters is a record of the books which his English teacher, Bill, has given him as extension reading. As a result of this American literature features heavily with Charlie mentioning works such as 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and 'On the Road'. It is not just literature, however, which Charlie talks about but music too with mixtapes often showing his true emotions. The inclusion of popular books, movies and music within these letters both help to show Charlie's personality as well as making the novel feel current.

Stephen Chbosky - the author

As I previously mentioned, this has been made into a popular film featuring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson and Ezra Miller. The plot closely followed that of the novel and this was probably because Chbosky wrote the film screenplay but seeing the characters in the flesh made the action easier to follow, in my view. I found the film more gripping than the novel but I am unsure whether this it just because I am not a great fan of novels written in letter form.


I would recommend either reading the novel or watching the film to people, especially those who are a fan of the 'coming-of-age' genre because it is a simple yet moving novel which should be shared.

Please let me know in the comments whether you feel the same way about the Chbosky novel/film because I would be really interested to hear other people's views.

                                                ...x